MISCELLANEOUS CROPS 607 



from rivers like the Mississippi or the Nile, which carry a large 

 amount of silt, this may be true. It is not the case where flooding is 

 done with pure water. The continued fertility of the rice field can 

 only be maintained by restoring to the soil annually a portion of 

 what the crop removes. Whether this can be more economically 

 done by the use of commercial fertilizers and plowing under of the 

 rice straw, or by fallowing occasionally and using some renovating 

 crop as a green manure is an economic question to be determined by 

 each planter according to the conditions presented. Repeated trials 

 of commercial fertilizers have almost invariably shown gains in the 

 quality and quantity of the crop more than sufficient to cover the 

 cost. Summer fallowing, where it can be practiced, is, in addition 

 to its renovating effect, a substantial aid in destroying noxious grasses 

 and red rice. 



There is very little exact information on the subject of fertilizers 

 for rice. In Japan and other Oriental countries a large proportion 

 of the rice land is thoroughly fertilized in the fall with straw, leaves, 

 rice hulls, fish, and night soil. The fields are planted to wheat or 

 vetches for the winter crop, followed the next spring by rice without 

 additional manures. 



Weedy Grasses. In all delta rice lands the rapid increase of 

 injurious grasses becomes a serious difficulty. This is intensified 

 along the Mississippi by the large amount and wonderful variety of 

 grass seed in the river water. The conditions favorable to the growth 

 of rice also favor the growth of many grasses, and these wild plants 

 are naturally more hardy than their cultivated competitor. In the 

 early years of rice culture in eastern Louisiana plantations were leased 

 in many instances, and planted a few years while they produced a 

 maximum crop; then they were abandoned for other lands which 

 had not hitherto been planted in rice. This change of lands was due 

 to the rapid increase of harmful grasses, many of which were con- 

 veyed to the fields by the irrigating water and appeared to find such 

 congenial conditions for growth that in about three years they were 

 practically in full possession. In a short time it became evident that 

 the practical supply of plantations for such purposes was limited, 

 and that the planters must make a more vigorous and successful war- 

 fare on these invaders of their fields. The following are the methods 

 most generally employed against these harmful grasses, with their 

 advantages and defects. 



Hand Weeding. By hand weeding, grasses can be effectually 

 destroyed, and at the same time the rice crop greatly benefited by the 

 loosening up of the soil consequent on pulling up the grass. But 

 hand weeding is too tedious and expensive to be generally employed 

 by the large planters. 



Mowing and Burning the Grasses. After the rice is harvested, 

 some time should be allowed for the growth of grass and suckers from 

 the rice stubble, so that when cut there will be enough straw to burn 

 well. Then the stubble should be cut with a mowing machine and 

 the ground burned over. The fire should destroy not only the seeds 

 but the roots, so that there will be no more suckering. A serious 



